The Legend of Razzle Dazzle Cupcakes
Once upon a time in a land far far away, nestled between a lush magical forest and powder snow mountains, rested the Kingdom of Razzle Dazzle. On the outskirts of the Kingdom lived the Almond family. They lived in a small house that was perfect for their cat Little Boots and the family of three. Arthur Almond was a Knight who often accompanied the King on his journeys to other great Kingdoms. Arthur’s beautiful wife, Isabella, was a baker and she was known for making the finest pastries in the land. Their son, William, was a schoolboy who often day-dreamed of slaying dragons beside his father. Unlike most other boys his age, William was gifted in the kitchen, like his mother. In the centre of the Kingdom stood the enchanted castle where Princess Caramel Buttercream lived. She was a beautiful Princess and because of her kind and caring nature everyone in the kingdom adored her.
Once every year something very special and magical happens in the Kingdom. The leaves on the trees change from green to a brilliant pink. The stars in the sky shine even brighter and they can be seen during the day and the night. Everything has a sparkling appearance. When this happens, everyone in the Kingdom begins preparing for the Princess’ birthday celebration. What will they wear to the party? What special gift can they give the princess?
On the morning of Princess Caramels’ birthday William woke up and looked out the window. He looked at the trees and saw the stars in the sky and knew right away what day it was. He wanted to bring something very special to the Princess on her birthday. Having seen the joy his mother’s cakes brought people, William immediately decided to ask his mother to help him bake the most delicious birthday cake the Princess had ever eaten. Excitedly William left his bedroom in search of his mother. When he entered the kitchen, it was unusually quiet and empty looking. Suddenly he spotted a sandwich on the breakfast table. Beside the sandwich there was a note. The note read, “Good morning sweetheart. Your father has gone on a journey for the King today, and I am collecting ingredients for pastries. I have made you a sandwich and there is plenty of milk. Be a good boy. We will see you this evening. Love Mommy.”
William’s heart sank into his stomach. How was he going to bake a perfect birthday cake without the help of his mother? He would never have enough time to get it ready if he waited for his mother’s return. Even worse, how would he bake a cake without ingredients? His plans of baking the Princess a perfect birthday cake now seemed impossible and he began to cry. With tears streaming down his face William got up out of his chair and wandered hopelessly around the empty kitchen. He looked down at Little Boots’ milk dish and saw that it was empty and decided to fill it. He grabbed the milk bottle from behind the eggs and noticed that there was still some flour left in the almost empty bag. Suddenly William had an idea! Maybe, just maybe! He ran to the cupboard and his eyes widened when he saw that there was still some sugar left in the sugar bag. Was there enough sugar, flour and eggs to make a cake he wondered? Even if he found enough of the right ingredients, his mother wasn’t there to help.
William was determined to make the perfect gift for the princess. He quickly, but carefully, started to gather all of the ingredients that he could find. There wasn’t much. William had stood beside his mother and helped with her baking many times. He knew he had all the right ingredients, but he knew he didn’t have enough to fill his mother’s regular cake pan. What could he use that was the right size for the small amount of ingredients he had?
He began rummaging around the old bakery looking for something to bake in. An old ladle? No. The body of a broken clock? No! A boot? A watering can? The helmet from a broken suit of armour? No! William searched through every room in the bakery, but he couldn’t find anything suitable. Suddenly William had another idea! He ran to the old cupboard and swung open the door. Inside were dozens of different cups his mother and father used when they had friends and guests over for tea. Some of the cups were small, some were big, some were broken. He dug through the cups until he found the perfect one. Very carefully he picked up the teacup and polished it so it sparkled perfectly. Now he had everything and was ready to begin.
Although William was all by himself he wasn’t afraid. He knew he could do this. He lit a small fire beneath the oven and let it warm up. One by one he added the sugar, flour and eggs into a bowl and mixed them together being careful not to spill or waste anything. When the mixture was just right William transferred it from the little mixing bowl to the teacup he had chosen from the cupboard. He then proceeded to the oven, opened the door and placed the tea cup inside. He wasn’t sure exactly how long to bake the miniature cake, so he pulled a stool in front of the oven door and sat down eating the sandwich his mother had made for him. He opened the oven door every so often, each time seeing the dough in the cup rising higher and higher. He knew the cake was ready when it had risen above the rim of the cup and had turned slightly brown on top. His mother had taught him well. He removed the teacup from the oven, placed it on the countertop and waited for it to cool before garnishing it. He used the last of the delicate candies his mother used for cakes and the remainder of the frosting she had made for a cake order.
He had done it! His little teacup cake wasn’t as pretty as his mother’s creations, but he knew it would taste perfect since he had used the same fine ingredients as she did. William was so happy that he had forgotten what time it was. The Princess’ birthday celebration was about to begin and he was covered in flour. He had to hurry if he was to make it to the castle in time for the party. William put his gift for the Princess in a box, wrapped a bow around it, and ran to the castle.
When William arrived, everyone in the land was gathered in the castle courtyard dressed in their very best clothes. The crowd was enormous. This years’ ball was perhaps the biggest ball ever, and the air was filled with the sweet sound of music and laughter. Princess Caramel had just finished opening her last gift and was about to give a speech thanking everyone for making her feel so special on her birthday. But before she could speak, a little voice shouted…
“WAIT!”
The crowd parted and William walked forward until he reached the Princess. He was covered in flour and sugar. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair had small bits of frosting in it. He looked ridiculous. The Princess smiled. She took the little package, untied the bow and opened the box. As she looked inside, she said, “I’ve never seen this before. What do you call this small sweet treat….. this cake for one?”
William wasn’t sure what to say and paused for a moment. “It’s called a….. CUPCAKE!”, he said with an enormous smile. “It’s made from the finest ingredients in the land.”
The Princess, being a lover of sweet things, could not resist and she brought the cupcake to her nose so she could smell it. It smelled sweeter than anything she had ever smelled before. Without hesitating she took a bite. The crowd was silent as they watched for her reaction. Suddenly, everyone in the courtyard saw a smile on the Princess’ face like they had never seen before! It was the most delicious dessert she had ever had!
From that moment Princess Caramel knew that this was what she wanted for her birthday dessert next year, and the year after, and every year after that! She decided to have a bakery, or, cupcakery built in the castle so William could continue to bake his cupcakes for her and everyone else in the kingdom. It was then and there that Razzle Dazzle Cupcakes was born.